Lens sack Yannick Cahuzac after record-equalling Champions League defeat

Lens have dismissed head coach Yannick Cahuzac less than a week after their 9-1 Champions League home defeat by Como, a source close to the French club told AFP on Tuesday.

The decision, reported by sports daily L'Equipe, comes after Lens also lost 2-1 at home to Marseille in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

Cahuzac was appointed less than two months ago, taking charge after Dino Toppmoeller’s surprise departure in mid-September. The German coach left after only four Ligue 1 matchdays.

The former Lens captain managed nine matches in all competitions, winning three and losing six. Lens are currently 11th in the domestic league.

His European record was worse, with Lens failing to claim a single point. They were beaten by Sporting Lisbon and Club Brugge before suffering their heavy defeat by Como.

The 9-1 result was a joint record for the biggest winning margin in the modern Champions League. It also came against the reigning French Cup winners.

Cahuzac acknowledged Lens’ fragile state after the Marseille defeat.

“We feel like we're in a bad way. We feel that Wednesday's result has left its mark,” he said.

“We've managed to pick ourselves up. But we've got quite a few gaps in the team, and we feel we've lost our confidence.”

Lens chairman Joseph Oughourlian had already condemned the Como loss after Sunday’s match, telling Ligue 1+ that the result was unacceptable in front of the club’s supporters at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

“In front of our fans, here at Bollaert, this is unacceptable,” Oughourlian said.

He added that the words “never again” had been painted on the walls of the changing room.

Lens won the French Cup last season under current Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage and finished second in the league behind PSG.